Murphy - Armstrongs War

Drama has always been a key component of The Banff Centres programming. In its founding year of 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, a two-week program in drama was offered to 190 students. Only a few years later, in 1935, playwriting was officially added to the programs on offer. Because of this history, in preparation for the Centres seventy-fifth year of continuous operation, it felt appropriate to commission a new play to celebrate the Centres legacy of commitment to the arts and artists; a play that would illustrate the interests and concerns of playwrights in the early years of a new century. More than eighty submissions on a vast array of subjects were received from across Canada, and in April of 2008, Linda Gaboriau, Maureen Labont, John Murrell, Brian Quirt, and Bob White joined me to select the recipient of the anniversary commission. Arigato, Tokyo was to be a play about a Canadian writer communicating with a new audience, challenging his understanding of human and cultural differences, and challenging himself as a man and as an artist on a global stage. Arigato, Tokyo was to be a play about a Canadian writer communicating with a new audience, challenging his understanding of human and cultural differences, and challenging himself as a man and as an artist on a global stage.

It has evolved into a play that is exacting, intensely theatrical, and enormously human. It was a good match with the anniversary celebration and a unanimous choice for the jury. Fortunately, and happily, the discussions and deliberations did not end there. Despite the breadth of subject matter among the submissions overall, several playwrights responded to Canadas involvement in the war in Afghanistan. Colleen Murphy proposed Armstrongs War, a play about the consequences of serving under combat conditions and focusing on a soldiers return to Canada. Hannah Moscovitch proposed This is War, a play about the immediate effects of battle on the men and women of our armed forces, but, like Colleen, her interest was much broader.

Hannahs play also explores some of the messy human aspects of modern combat, from the difficulty of knowing the enemy to the psychological impact inflicted upon soldiers on the same side of the conflict. These were powerful ideas advanced by gifted writers working within a genre that is underrepresented in theatrical literature in this country: the Canadian war play. It seems strange that the performing arts discourse around Canada as a nation at war is largely confined to the media and the political sphere. Enabling these writers to create and develop these plays would contribute to the conversation about Canadas role as a warrior nation within the public arena of the theatre. And so it was that with a little budget juggling and creative schedule manoeuvring, the anniversary commission provided the opportunity for three plays to be created. With the active co-operation of the Banff Playwrights Colony, first directed by Maureen Labont and now led by Brian Quirt, and with reading and workshop opportunities in Banff and Toronto, both This is War and Arigato, Tokyo have been produced in critically acclaimed premieres in Toronto, at the Tarragon Theatre and at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, respectively (with more productions planned), while Colleen Murphys Armstrongs War made its workshop premiere at Finborough Theatre in London, England, and debuted in Canada at the Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver.

We are thrilled to share these plays with you in partnership with our friends at Playwrights Canada Press, and look forward to many more opportunities to showcase the rich diversity of the dramatic arts in Canada. Kelly Robinson Director of Theatre Arts, The Banff Centre, 20082013 Armstrongs War was staged in a workshop production, presented by Flying Bear Productions and ABG Productions in association with Neil McPherson, at Finborough Theatre in London, UK, from August 11 to 27, 2013, with the following cast and creative crew:

Halley Armstrong	Jessica Barden
Michael Armstrong	Mark Quartley
Director	Jennifer Bakst
Design	Philip Lindley
Lighting	Jack Weir
Costume design	Maud Dromgoole
Music	Angus MacRae

The play was first produced by the Arts Club Theatre at the Granville Island Stage, Vancouver, from October 17 to November 9, 2013, with the following cast and creative crew:

Halley Armstrong	Matreya Scarrwener
Michael Armstrong	Mik Byskov
Director	Mindy Parfitt
Set Design	Naomi Sider
Lighting Design	Conor Moore
Costume design	Carmen Alatorre
Sound Design	Candelario Andrade

Use music sparingly at the beginning and end and subtlety when composing the score or soundscape for the transitions. Do not underscore the text.